(To read the complete article, click here - however, this will give you a good start.)

FEATHERS OF SCANDAL Father Richard John Neuhaus

"Because I care about the Legionaries of Christ, and because I was outraged by what I suspected was a gross injustice," wrote Father Neuhaus, "I decided to go through endless pages of testimony..."

The story is told of St. Philip Neri (1515-1595) that he gave a most unusual penance to a novice who was guilty of spreading malicious gossip. He told him to take a feather pillow to the top of a church tower on a blustery day and there release all the feathers to the wind. Then he was to come down from the tower, collect all the feathers dispersed over the far countryside, and put them back into the pillow. Of course the poor novice couldn´t do it, and that was precisely Philip´s point about the great evil of tale bearing. Slander and calumny have a way of spreading to the four winds and, once released, can never be completely recalled. Even when accusations are firmly nailed as false, the reputations of those falsely accused bear a lingering taint. "Oh yes," it is vaguely said, "wasn´t he once accused of . . . "

The words of the Bard that you learned in grade school are entirely to the point:

Who steals my purse steals trash; ´tis something, nothing; ´Twas mine, ´tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed.

This reflection is occasioned by an attack on Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, the eighty-two-year-old and much revered founder of the Legionaries of Christ, one of the more vibrant and successful renewal movements in contemporary Catholicism. The attack, alleging sexual offenses with seminarians some forty years earlier, first appeared in a 1997 story in the Hartford Courant, a Connecticut paper, and the story has recently been repeated in the National Catholic Reporter, a left-wing tabloid. The story was coauthored by Jason Berry, a freelance writer in New Orleans, who briefly gained national attention with a 1992 book, Lead Us Not Into Temptation: Catholic Priests and the Sexual Abuse of Children, and by Gerald Renner, who was until recently religion writer for the Connecticut paper.

-- Christine Lehman (christinelehman_@hotmail.com), November 25, 2002

Answers

Christine,

Are you a member of the Regnum Cristi? You appear to hold the legion is very hight esteem maybe you should join to learn the real truth.

It's sad that you appear to write off the testimony and views of anyone who doesn't agree with you, but that is your privilage, pity the member of the legion and RC don't have the same privilage of freedom of thought and freedom of speech!

God Bless,

James

-- James Xwing (james_xwing@hotmail.com), November 25, 2002.

No, James. To paraphrase Will Rogers, "I don't belong to any organized religion - I'm a Catholic!"

But you still haven't explained to us why you consider such organizations as the National (anti)Catholic Reporter and ABC, the Abortion Broadcasting Network, to be unbiased sources in this matter?

-- Christine L. :-) (chris_tine_leh_man@hotmail.com), November 25, 2002.

Again Christine,

Who do you regard as being un unbiased source on this matter?

God Bless!

-- James Xwing (james_xwing@hotmail.com), November 25, 2002.

I consider the Pope to be reasonably unbiased. Please explain to us all why you think Pope John Paul II should not be trusted.

-- Christine L. :-) (chris_tine_leh_man@hotmail.com), November 25, 2002.

Christine,

Please explain to me what ever gave you the idea that I don't follow the Pope?

Then explain to me when and how the Pope will ever have the time to make such a declaration? Didn't you know he delegates a lot of stuff? Unfortunately Cardinal Ratzinger, giving him his proper title for fear of being labeled a bad person, is the person who should look into this but has failed us on this occasion.

-- James Xwing (james_xwing@hotmail.com), November 25, 2002.

If anyone is interested, you can go to this link to make a donation to the beleaguered League! :-)

-- Christine L. (chris_tine_leh_man@hotmail.com), November 25, 2002.

Hm. James, it seems you had better cool it before you tempt the whole lot of us to donate some $20 each just to fortify the Legion of Christ against gibbering malcontents as yourself.

-- Skoobouy (skoobouy@hotmail.com), November 25, 2002.

Skubydoo,

Donate away, your money is your money and you do with it as you please. I'm might even get some commission from Bannon for enabling them to make more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ which is after all one of their primary goals! Go one step further and join the LC or RC and donate yourself as well, I'm sure they would love to have you.

-- James Xwing (james_xwing@hotmail.com), November 27, 2002.

Thanks, Christine. You have no idea the taunts and lies that James, who parades under several different screen names, posts against the Legion. I attempted on several occasions to converse with this nave, James. It is impossible, he is, in the words of his former contemporaries, a "pathological liar". You are right, Christine, that not only does the Holy Father, John Paul II love Fr. Maciel and this fine religious order immensely, it is apparant that Jesus himself does, too. Christ has worked through the Legion in its many apostolates, and I credit the Legion with saving my own life, as an errant youth. I thank God for them. Please pray for them.

-- Buttinzki (Buttinzki@aol.com), November 28, 2002.

If theis James is the same James (Seiwert) I was in the Legion with he is the ultimate looser. I just remember him being frustrated that he was never given any positions of authority and was sent off often to do accompany a priest in Bologna, Italy while in Rome because he was unbearable to his fellow seminararians and always feeling sorry for himself. i used to play basketball with him while he was in the Legion in Rome & he always was complaining about how other people fouled him and didn't call their own fouls (Legionaries call their own fouls in sports, not others.) Of course we never criticized James publicly in the Legion because that was aganist teh spirit of teh Legion. I just remember him as being rather self centered. when we would have snack time in rome he would even be sure to get the best snack for himself. If this is the same James he is not too be credited with anything but selfish bitterness and needs to get some professional counseling. His forums aren't worth the free web space they are posted on.

-- James Seiwert (howdy@yahoo .com), December 03, 2002.

Why have you signed your own name James Seiwert? Is Seiwart James X wing or Seiwert? Someone stated there was never amoment of free time for recruits in the Legion. You say you played baskeball. Sounds like free time.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), December 03, 2002.

I didn't mean to sign it James Seiwert, that was a mess up, sorry.

-- BCJ (howdy@yahoo.com), December 03, 2002.

BJC and Buttinski,

You appear to have the wrong James.

But I take the insults you hurl at me in true Charity. "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do!".

BTW Buttinski I have not posted under any other name, James is my name and James is my web handle.

So weren't you Timothy Rummel? Or was that the person you were trying to pretend to be? There was only one Timothy in the class of '82.

God Bless you both,

James

-- James Xwing (James_xwing@hotmail.com), December 09, 2002.

My sincerest apologies to James Seiwert. Apparently neither Butttinski nor Howdy have a good word to say about you. Their remarks are very uncharitable towards you.

None of us are perfect now and neither were we when we were in the Legion.

God bless both of you and May the Good Lord especially bless James Seiwert, I don't think he deseves the bad press you have given him.

James

-- james Xwing (James_xwing@hotmail.com), December 09, 2002.

Well James, you could be his twin brother, or mind clone!

-- BCJ (jbcsd@weg.bn), December 23, 2002.

Interesting discussion. Too bad I've entered it so late.

I guess one can't blame the Legion for the un-Christian attitude of some of its members/defenders. Perhaps, they should have read Fr. Neuhaus' story about St. Philip Neri and slander.

I spent time with the LC's some years ago I found most of them to be wonderful men. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. That doesn't mean I didn't perceive certain problematical tendencies. Nor, does it mean that the allegations against Nuestro Padre aren't true: None of us really knows.

Enter Fr. Neuhaus.

From his April 2002 article: "I expect that most readers, and especially those who, with good reason, admire the Legionaries, instinctively recoil from the story about Fr. Maciel, finding it both repugnant and implausible. There is something to be said for consigning it to the trash bin and forgetting about it. Nobody should feel obliged to read on, for the subject is decidedly distasteful."

Repugnant, yes. But, *implausible*?

I admire the Legion. But, Fr. Maciel is a human being. I think it is much harder for Legionaries to keep the proper perspective, because so much in the Legion centers on the personality of Fr. Maciel. I mean, members are encouraged to read his letters, etc. for lectio divina, to recite prayers he wrote, to write him personally at his address.

I find Fr. Neuhaus' why-even-read-further attitude troubling: It's the sort of denial which got our Church into this mess in the first place.

"It is said that the Legion is elitist. And I suppose there is something to that, keeping in mind that elitism is too often employed as a term of opprobrium by those offended by the violation of the mediocre."

In all honesty and candor, . . . yes, I found this to be a failing of the Legion's members when I visited there.

There was this "we're gonna take over the world" mentality--which was O.K., if understood and practiced properly. But, too often it seemed that Legionaries looked down on and competed with other Catholic groups and religious orders. At least, at the novitiate in Cheshire, CT, I found the priests to be humble, well-adjusted men. So, maybe that attitude is weeded out by the time of ordination? Then again, I recall Fr. Anthony Bannon boasting on "Mother Angelica Live!" many years ago that the Legion would have 1,000 priests by the millenium. Also, in promotional literature the group boasts about how many seminarians it has, how many universities and colleges, how many seminaries. The reality, though, is that most don't go on the become Legionary priests, most don't go on the join Regnum Christi. The Legion's growth has been . . . well . . . slim. I think a little more humility is in order.

"In any course so demanding, it is inevitable that many do not make it. Others, having become priests, fall by the wayside or are found wanting. The result-and this is true of any community that does not fudge the distinction between success and failure-is that there are some who are disappointed, disgruntled, aggrieved, and bitter. And that brings us to the Berry/Renner story about Fr. Maciel."

An unbecoming comment by Fr. Neuhaus. (How is that any more slanderous than the charges against Fr. Degollado?) He presumes those 8 men were disappointed, disgruntled, aggrieved, bitter. Perhaps, that is a true assessment of their motivations; although, Neuhaus does not seem to know any of the accusers personally. But, it seems more like Fr. Neuhaus' own assumption: He would like the allegations against his friend and fellow-traveler, Marcial Maciel, to be false. Maybe, that's why his article reads like it has been written from passion, rather than reason?

"It counts as evidence that Fr. Maciel unqualifiedly and totally denies the charges. It counts as evidence that priests in the Legion whom I know very well and who, over many years, have a detailed knowledge of Fr. Maciel and the Legion say that the charges are diametrically opposed to everything they know for certain."

Well, . . . sure.

But, 8 men who have been/were members of the Legion also counts as "evidence." Why are they immediately untrustworthy to Neuhaus?

I mean, aspects of their story should be questioned: Why did they wait so long? Is the ninth gentleman's charge about coercion by the other 8 true? Why would they remain members of a group founded by a sexual predator? Hmm . . . But, I have not gotten the impression from the Legion's (or, the Church's) response that it has necessarily been looking for the truth, either. The assumption has been: Maciel's a saint; the accusers are liars; let's move on.

"It counts as evidence that Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger and others who have looked into the matter say that the charges are completely without merit."

If he shared a fraction of Neuhaus' prejudices, then his investigation wouldn't have amounted to much.

My understanding was that the 8 accusers only went public after they concluded the Vatican wasn't going to do anything about their claims.

"It counts as evidence that Pope John Paul II, who almost certainly is aware of the charges, has strongly, consistently, and publicly praised Fr. Maciel and the Legion."

After all those letters to other dioceses or parishes which have come to light by American bishops recommending and (even) praising molestor priests in their transfers, Fr. Neuhaus might want to re- think this argument. Their is nothing about the Petrine charism which validates the Pope's personal judgment of anyone's character. I could still defer to His Holiness' personal judgment. But, honestly, it's only his *opinion* that Fr. Maciel didn't molest children in his charge. (Though, probably a better informed opinion than most.)

"Much of what we know we take on trust. I trust these people. The suggestion that they are either deliberately deceiving or are duped is totally implausible."

Well, the same could have been said by defenders of Bernard Card. Law. The Pope is a human being. So is Fr. Marcial Maciel. Neuhaus should know better: It is not unheard of historically that Popes have made bad decisions which have hurt many people. Some decisions have even been malicious. I'm not saying that is the case with John Paul II. But, I myself am not so trusting of the Pope's decisionmaking when it comes to this issue: Even after the first explosion of cases in the early 1980's, he took years before he offered a (weak) apology and, even recently, his statements to victims of abuse have been cursory, to say the least. I love the Pope, pray for him, obey him. But, as his predecessor reminds us: "Arise! For, I too am a man." (Acts 10:26)

-- Matthew W. I. Dunn (mwidunn@yahoo.com), August 12, 2003.